One evening from his rooftop King David saw a woman and was smitten by her. His soul told him they would together bring the messiah into the world and ultimately they did. The woman was technically divorced because her husband had gone off to war and the custom of the time was for soldiers to divorce their wives lest the husband go missing in battle and the wife remain forever unable to remarry. King David summoned the husband home and ordered him to return to his wife. The husband defied the King and did not return to his wife. For that he was liable to the death penalty for treason. King David sent the husband back into the heat of battle where he was killed and King David married the woman.
Nathan the prophet comes to King David and tells him about a rich man and a poor man. The rich man had many sheep the poor man one little lamb. When guests came the rich man could not part with his sheep so he took away the poor mans lamb. King David was outraged and wanted to punish the man. Nathan said "you are that man and because of your actions Hashem will destroy you and your entire family".
Lets stop and consider. How would we respond to Nathan. "That's not fair. She wasn't really married. The husband was treasonous. I saw that she and I are destined to produce Moshiach. Why didn't Hashem stop me?" All arguable rationalizations. What did King David really say? "I have sinned to Hashem" Nathen responds "Hashem has forgiven you you will not die" Hashem heard Davids sincere regret and accepted it.
King David made mistakes. We all do. King David was a big man so he made big mistakes and he had big rationalizations to back them up. What made King David great was that when confronted with his wrong doing he accepted it. He didn't vow to fight the charges or appeal the verdict. He realized that all of his rationalizations were nothing more than that. Rationalizations. He composes psalm 53 "to the conductor a Song of David when Nathan came to him.." King David actually celebrated the event in song. Why was he so happy. The Sochatzover rebbe explains that David rejoiced because Nathan had snapped him out of his delusional rationalizations and brought him to Emes, the truth.
This is a powerful tale with a powerful message to each and every one of us. We look at the news and see pictures of religious Jews being led off by the FBI for alleged crimes. Of course we hope and pray that they committed no wrong doing and they are exonerated. But if they have committed wrong doing how could it be? We see pictures of religious Jews throwing stones or lighting fires and we ask how could they commit these acts of hooliganism. The answer is that they are not evil people but that they rationalize that they are doing it for a noble cause or in other words 'it's OK G-d will surely understand'. Of course as Nathan told King David it's not OK.
If we persist in asking 'but how could they do such things' we have missed the point. They did these things because they rationalize. The same way we rationalise all of the things that we do that we know we shouldn't and that we don't do that we know we should. As sad as we are to see these events unfolding we could rejoice if they snap us out of our delusions and cause us to take a realistic look at ourselves. We just heard Isaiah the prophet rail against "the perversion of justice. Hands full of blood, making a mockery of all things Holy". It was these rationalizations that brought the destruction of our Holy Temple and these same rationalizations that prevent it from being rebuilt.
So when Tisha B'Av comes around don't ignore it and we don't get angry at those bad people who caused so much death and destruction. Embrace it. Sit down on the floor and mourn our rationalizations that lead to our wrong doings that destroy our lives. Then we get up and say thank you Hashem for sending us this day to snap ourselves out of our delusion and bring us to Emes , truth.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Parshas Matos Maasei
Shloimie who has lived for years hand to mouth wins a huge lottery. His ecstatic friend Yossel asks "what are you going to do with the money?" Shloimie replies "I am going to pay off debts." "And what about the rest?"asks Yossel. "The rest will have to wait." replies Shloimie. This age old joke sums up a age old Jewish attitude that our problems are intractable but somehow things will work out.
The contemporary version of the Jewish problem is the state of Israel and it seems to have focused of late on the issue of settlements. Many of us have opinions or at the very least feelings about this issue. However as Torah Jews we know that feelings and opinions don't amount to much if they are not based in the Torah. So what does the Torah have to say about the land of Israel and settlements in particular.
Let us open our Chumashim to the second of this weeks parshios Massei, located in the book of Bamidbar , Numbers, turn please to Chapter 33 verse 50.
Verses 50 -52 I paraphrase as follows:
Verse 55 - 56 I paraphrase
Verses 52, 53 and 55 all use the word vhorashtem or sorishu which lterally means take possession of alternatively it can mean dispossess. In verse 52 and 55 it means dispossess - to drive out. Yet in verse 53 it is translated as posses. This is very significant. Rashi translates the word consistantly throughout and understands these verses as a cautionary tale. Hashem tells the people 'be sure to get rid of the locals otherwise you won't be able to take control of the land'. However according to Ramban whom I believe our translation follows verse 53 is a direct commandment to take control of the land of Israel. Ramban lists this as one of the 613 commandments and says it is a mitzvah for all time to take possession of the land. It certainly follows that we may not willingly give up possession of the land. Ramban proceeds to take Rambam to task for not listing this mitzvah as one of the 613. The interpretation of this verse is a matter of great debate between Torah scholars (and their followers) down to this very day. Let's stop and appreciate what this debate means to you and I. We try to observe the Torah. The Torah says don't eat pork we don't eat pork. The Torah says put a mezuzzah on your doorpost we put a mezuzzah on our door post. If the Torahs says possess the land of Israel I go posses the land (unless of course I am not that observant). If I have taken possession of the land and someone says give it back to the gentiles I say "I'm sorry, the Torah doesn't allow that". Now I am not required to die to preform a mitzvah but oftentimes it is unclear as to whether or not I am in danger.
On the other hand perhaps it is not a mitzvah commandment. Rashi doesn't seem to think so and Maimonides did not include possessing the land in his list of the 613 commandments. Some respond to this by saying that Rashi and Maimonides certainly do believe it is a commandment and they cite numerous sources. For example: If a non Jew is willing to sell a Jew a piece of land in Israel on shabbos I may instruct a non Jew to write up the bill of sale even though it is shabbos. Now if it is not a mitzvah to posses the land would this not be shabbos desecration?
Another argument against the requirement of settlement is offered by a commentary named Megilas Esther. He asserts that the mitzvah in the Torah only applies to Joshua and the biblical era. After the exile the equation changed. Based on verses in the Song of Songs the Talmud understands that exile carries with it three oaths. One of those oaths is that I not take the land by force until Moshiach comes. There are many responses to this. One is that Moshiach has or is in the process of coming. This is certainly the opinion of those who read the prayer for the state of Israel which states Bless the state of Israel the first flowering of the redemption. Although there are others responses rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum a scholar of note and the leader of the Satmar Chassidim wrote an 800 page treatise responding to all claims and concluding that the oath is in full effect. Not that he doesn't allow living in Israel but he contends it is in violation of the Torah to maintain Israel by force.
Let us return to Maimonides for a moment. If he thought it is a mitzvah to conquer the land why didn't he list it as one of the 613. There are those who contend that even if the Rambam didn't list it as a separate mitzvah he certainly understood that living in the holy land is a mitzvah. If the land is holy of course I live there because why would I want to live in an unholy place when I can live in a holy place.
These are a few of the ideas that are involved in establishing and opinion about settlement in Israel.
To sum up: Ramban says it is a mitzvah to take possession of the land, a sin to give it back and it applies at all times. This is the view embraced by most settlers and religious Zionists in general.
Megilas Esther contends that that mitzvah was suspended by the exile and will not be in effect again until the coming of Moshiach. The is the view espoused by the Satmar and other so called anti Zionists.
Another approach says I can't make up my mind on this weighty question. However i do know that Jews are supposed to protect themselves. If having the settlements makes the entire Jewish settlement in Israel safer then we hang on to them. If they are endangering Jews then we get rid of them. Obviously this third approach will debated mostly outside of Torah sources.
What then is the purpose of this drasha. To make us aware that issues of health care and finance may be political in nature but issues having to do with the Jewish people and Israel need to be referred to the Torah. Once I understand the Torah and take my position I have to understand the ramifications of that. Similarly once I understand the other parties position and see that it is also rooted in the Torah I can respect it and live with it. If I take this approach even if I am wrong if I am sincerely trying to do Hashem's will, it will all work out. And the rest of them? They will have to wait.
The contemporary version of the Jewish problem is the state of Israel and it seems to have focused of late on the issue of settlements. Many of us have opinions or at the very least feelings about this issue. However as Torah Jews we know that feelings and opinions don't amount to much if they are not based in the Torah. So what does the Torah have to say about the land of Israel and settlements in particular.
Let us open our Chumashim to the second of this weeks parshios Massei, located in the book of Bamidbar , Numbers, turn please to Chapter 33 verse 50.
Verses 50 -52 I paraphrase as follows:
Hashem spoke to Moshe saying. When you cross the Jordan you shall drive out all of the inhabitants of the land and destroy all of their idolatrous places.Verse 53 according to our Artscroll translation:
You shall posses the land and settle in it for to you IVerse 54 addresses inheritance.
have given the land to possess it.
Verse 55 - 56 I paraphrase
For if you do not drive them out they will be a
perpetual thorn in your side and you will ultimately be driven out.
Verses 52, 53 and 55 all use the word vhorashtem or sorishu which lterally means take possession of alternatively it can mean dispossess. In verse 52 and 55 it means dispossess - to drive out. Yet in verse 53 it is translated as posses. This is very significant. Rashi translates the word consistantly throughout and understands these verses as a cautionary tale. Hashem tells the people 'be sure to get rid of the locals otherwise you won't be able to take control of the land'. However according to Ramban whom I believe our translation follows verse 53 is a direct commandment to take control of the land of Israel. Ramban lists this as one of the 613 commandments and says it is a mitzvah for all time to take possession of the land. It certainly follows that we may not willingly give up possession of the land. Ramban proceeds to take Rambam to task for not listing this mitzvah as one of the 613. The interpretation of this verse is a matter of great debate between Torah scholars (and their followers) down to this very day. Let's stop and appreciate what this debate means to you and I. We try to observe the Torah. The Torah says don't eat pork we don't eat pork. The Torah says put a mezuzzah on your doorpost we put a mezuzzah on our door post. If the Torahs says possess the land of Israel I go posses the land (unless of course I am not that observant). If I have taken possession of the land and someone says give it back to the gentiles I say "I'm sorry, the Torah doesn't allow that". Now I am not required to die to preform a mitzvah but oftentimes it is unclear as to whether or not I am in danger.
On the other hand perhaps it is not a mitzvah commandment. Rashi doesn't seem to think so and Maimonides did not include possessing the land in his list of the 613 commandments. Some respond to this by saying that Rashi and Maimonides certainly do believe it is a commandment and they cite numerous sources. For example: If a non Jew is willing to sell a Jew a piece of land in Israel on shabbos I may instruct a non Jew to write up the bill of sale even though it is shabbos. Now if it is not a mitzvah to posses the land would this not be shabbos desecration?
Another argument against the requirement of settlement is offered by a commentary named Megilas Esther. He asserts that the mitzvah in the Torah only applies to Joshua and the biblical era. After the exile the equation changed. Based on verses in the Song of Songs the Talmud understands that exile carries with it three oaths. One of those oaths is that I not take the land by force until Moshiach comes. There are many responses to this. One is that Moshiach has or is in the process of coming. This is certainly the opinion of those who read the prayer for the state of Israel which states Bless the state of Israel the first flowering of the redemption. Although there are others responses rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum a scholar of note and the leader of the Satmar Chassidim wrote an 800 page treatise responding to all claims and concluding that the oath is in full effect. Not that he doesn't allow living in Israel but he contends it is in violation of the Torah to maintain Israel by force.
Let us return to Maimonides for a moment. If he thought it is a mitzvah to conquer the land why didn't he list it as one of the 613. There are those who contend that even if the Rambam didn't list it as a separate mitzvah he certainly understood that living in the holy land is a mitzvah. If the land is holy of course I live there because why would I want to live in an unholy place when I can live in a holy place.
These are a few of the ideas that are involved in establishing and opinion about settlement in Israel.
To sum up: Ramban says it is a mitzvah to take possession of the land, a sin to give it back and it applies at all times. This is the view embraced by most settlers and religious Zionists in general.
Megilas Esther contends that that mitzvah was suspended by the exile and will not be in effect again until the coming of Moshiach. The is the view espoused by the Satmar and other so called anti Zionists.
Another approach says I can't make up my mind on this weighty question. However i do know that Jews are supposed to protect themselves. If having the settlements makes the entire Jewish settlement in Israel safer then we hang on to them. If they are endangering Jews then we get rid of them. Obviously this third approach will debated mostly outside of Torah sources.
What then is the purpose of this drasha. To make us aware that issues of health care and finance may be political in nature but issues having to do with the Jewish people and Israel need to be referred to the Torah. Once I understand the Torah and take my position I have to understand the ramifications of that. Similarly once I understand the other parties position and see that it is also rooted in the Torah I can respect it and live with it. If I take this approach even if I am wrong if I am sincerely trying to do Hashem's will, it will all work out. And the rest of them? They will have to wait.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Parshas Pinchas
Only in Yerushalayim- Reflections upon returning from Jerusalem.
The sounds of children crying others squealing in delight and water in the kitchen. It sounds like a recipe for trouble and sure enough it was. I went to the kitchen to find the sink running and water being splashed by some very delighted children on some very unhappy children. But did Zayda break up the party? No he watched and smiled. It turns out the kids were playing parah adumah which happened to be that weeks Torah reading. The ultimate variation of tag one child tags another and says "your taamei". Then of course the poor thing cannot be left in a tamei state so the "Cohen" has to "sprinkle" them with water. So did Zaydeh do anything about it? No he watched and smiled and left the water for someone else to clean up. Kids will be kids but these kids have a Torah frame of reference.
On my way to the airport I asked the cab driver if he had ever been to America. He said he had planned to but it didn't work out. He has since gotten married and is settled in Israel. "And why don't you move to Israel?" came the expected rejoinder. "Because I am a Rabbi of a Congregation" I replied. This answer seemed to be satisfactory. Why was it a satisfactory answer?
While in Israel I participated in the wedding of Aaron and Shoshana. Standing under their Jerusalem chuppah with the Judean Hills in the background I listened as a Rabbi was called to the chuppah and recited the following blessing. Many the barren one (Jerusalem) rejoice as her children are gathered in to her in joy. Blessed are you Hashem who gladdens Zion and her children. This bride and groom are certainly the children of Zion. They intend to spend their lives in Israel and even if they should find themselves somewhere else I can guarantee you they are in Israel. This wasn't just a wedding. This was the fulfillment of prophesy. How did that prophesy come about. It began right here in Atlanta Ga. Aaaron Fruchtman and Shoshana Schroeder who were raised here. They went to Braves games and shopped at Perimeter mall. They lived the life of American Jews identifying with their place of residence as their homeland. Then they stepped into shul. In shul they were introduced to a new paradigm. The began to recite prayers as we did just five minutes ago. 'May it be your will Hashem that you bring us in joy to our land and plant us within its border'. Our land? What about the land of the Braves? Oh you mean we really come from a different land, we really have a different identity. Through the shul, teachers youth and college programs they developed a Jewish identity. Once having discovered their true identities they showed us who they really are by acting upon their discoveries. It was those actions that brought them under the beautiful chuppah in Jerusalem.
So why is being a Rabbi a good excuse to stay in America. Because each and every one of us has a true identity. That identity cannot be found on the streets of Dunwoody but it can be found on the streets of Jerusalem. But how do i get to Jerusalem if I don't even know that there my true identity awaits me? There is another place where I can find myself. I can find myself within the walls of the shul and in our Bais hamedrash where the words of the Torah can be heard. That is why the Talmud teaches that when the Moshiach comes the synagogues and study halls of the diaspora will move to Israel. They will move to Israel because until Moshiach comes the synagogue and the Bais Hamedrash are Israel. They are the four cubits of the law that we can shelter in and connect to ourselves and not be lost in the great outdoors of the diaspora. It is the job of the Rabbi and the shul to maintain and nurtur that spirit. That is in essence what I responded to the cab driver and that plus 185 shekel will get you from Yerushalayim to the airport.
The sounds of children crying others squealing in delight and water in the kitchen. It sounds like a recipe for trouble and sure enough it was. I went to the kitchen to find the sink running and water being splashed by some very delighted children on some very unhappy children. But did Zayda break up the party? No he watched and smiled. It turns out the kids were playing parah adumah which happened to be that weeks Torah reading. The ultimate variation of tag one child tags another and says "your taamei". Then of course the poor thing cannot be left in a tamei state so the "Cohen" has to "sprinkle" them with water. So did Zaydeh do anything about it? No he watched and smiled and left the water for someone else to clean up. Kids will be kids but these kids have a Torah frame of reference.
On my way to the airport I asked the cab driver if he had ever been to America. He said he had planned to but it didn't work out. He has since gotten married and is settled in Israel. "And why don't you move to Israel?" came the expected rejoinder. "Because I am a Rabbi of a Congregation" I replied. This answer seemed to be satisfactory. Why was it a satisfactory answer?
While in Israel I participated in the wedding of Aaron and Shoshana. Standing under their Jerusalem chuppah with the Judean Hills in the background I listened as a Rabbi was called to the chuppah and recited the following blessing. Many the barren one (Jerusalem) rejoice as her children are gathered in to her in joy. Blessed are you Hashem who gladdens Zion and her children. This bride and groom are certainly the children of Zion. They intend to spend their lives in Israel and even if they should find themselves somewhere else I can guarantee you they are in Israel. This wasn't just a wedding. This was the fulfillment of prophesy. How did that prophesy come about. It began right here in Atlanta Ga. Aaaron Fruchtman and Shoshana Schroeder who were raised here. They went to Braves games and shopped at Perimeter mall. They lived the life of American Jews identifying with their place of residence as their homeland. Then they stepped into shul. In shul they were introduced to a new paradigm. The began to recite prayers as we did just five minutes ago. 'May it be your will Hashem that you bring us in joy to our land and plant us within its border'. Our land? What about the land of the Braves? Oh you mean we really come from a different land, we really have a different identity. Through the shul, teachers youth and college programs they developed a Jewish identity. Once having discovered their true identities they showed us who they really are by acting upon their discoveries. It was those actions that brought them under the beautiful chuppah in Jerusalem.
So why is being a Rabbi a good excuse to stay in America. Because each and every one of us has a true identity. That identity cannot be found on the streets of Dunwoody but it can be found on the streets of Jerusalem. But how do i get to Jerusalem if I don't even know that there my true identity awaits me? There is another place where I can find myself. I can find myself within the walls of the shul and in our Bais hamedrash where the words of the Torah can be heard. That is why the Talmud teaches that when the Moshiach comes the synagogues and study halls of the diaspora will move to Israel. They will move to Israel because until Moshiach comes the synagogue and the Bais Hamedrash are Israel. They are the four cubits of the law that we can shelter in and connect to ourselves and not be lost in the great outdoors of the diaspora. It is the job of the Rabbi and the shul to maintain and nurtur that spirit. That is in essence what I responded to the cab driver and that plus 185 shekel will get you from Yerushalayim to the airport.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
